Engine-valve



(No Model.) J H ELWARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

ENGINE VALVE.

N0. 375,1- 4 Patented Dec. 20. 1.887.

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.G 2 0 .n j I T 0 Fig- 2 Inventor: In /m /& fiawwuz Witnesses, z 6/ M N.PETERS. mmumng v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. H. ELWARD.

ENGINE VALVE.

N0. 375,144. Patented Dec., 20, 1887.

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L w m v E TVz tnesses:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN H. ELVARD, OF WHITEWATER, WISCONSIN.

ENGINE-VALVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 375,144, dated December20, 1887.

Application filed January 4, 1887. Serial No. 223,353. (No model.)-

To all whom/it 17mg concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. ELWARD, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing at \Vhitewater, in the county of Valworth and State ofWVisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Engine-Valves, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a longitudinal section of so much of an engine as isrequired to show my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the steam-chest.F g. 3 1s aplan view of some of the parts. F g. 4 is an end elevation ofthe interior parts. F g. 5 is a section of the anti-friction devices.Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of a modificatron. Fig. 7 shows amodification of the vertlcalrods secured to the valve and of crossbarsat the top.

Like letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the figures.

The object of the invention is to relieve in whole or in part thefriction between a slidevalve and its seat in a steam-engine, and onepart thereof relates to a novel construction of the devices wherebycertain of the adjustments can be effected without opening thesteamchest and while the valve is under steampressure.

Other parts of the invention relate to various new features ofconstruction, which will be hereinafter specifically pointed out.

A represents generally the valve seat, provided with steam-ports.

B is the slide-valve.

G is the valve-rod or valve-stem, which part may be of any usual orapproved construction adapted to have my invention applied thereto, andtherefore need not be specifically described.

D D are rods, two or more, projecting upward from the valve B. Theserods are screwthreaded at their lower ends and can be adjustably securedto the valve. The upper ends pass through transverse bars or plates E Eand are provided in the construction shown with nuts whereby they can beadj ustably suspended from said bar; or, the nuts may be dispensed withand the upper ends of the rods D may be slotted and expanded conieallyand fitted in countersunk apertures in the bars E, the slots permittingthe application of a turning-tool and the countersunk heads allowing thebars D to be kept flush with the bars E.

G G are adjustable suspension-bars hung from the top plate or cap, H, ofthe steamchest by means of rods or hangers I I, each of which isscrew-threaded at its lower end, where it takes into a screwthreadedhole in said suspension-bar. Each suspension-bar is grooved upon itsupper face, as at 9. (See Fig.4.)

The upper end of each suspension-rod I is squared or otherwise adaptedto receive a wrench or other device for turning it, and is furtherprovided near its upper end with a flange or collar, 2', resting uponthe upper'surface of the steamchest cap or top plate, which has openingsto receive these suspension-rods.

The cap of the steam-chest is provided with sockets K K for eachsuspension-rod, and, by preference, the walls of the sockets projectabove the general level of the cap H. These sockets are screw-threadedinternally to receive the glands L L, which are screw-threadedexternally and are hollow to permit the pas sage of the suspensionrodsthrough them.

Packings maybe used in the sockets to form a stuffing-box joint of suchcharacter that the escape of steam at this point may be easilyprevented. I do not, however, wish to belim ited to this preciseconstruction of parts, because the socket K might be under somecircumstances dispensed with, or the upper face of the cap or' cover Hmight be recessed at those points, or the supporting-rods I might bemade to fit the openings steam-tight. lower end of each rod I isscrew-threaded and takes into a corresponding threaded hole, m, of whichthere is one in each end of a transverse bar, M. There are two of thesebars M,

The

and the suspension-bars G G are bolted to the under sides thereof, or,when preferred, the bars G G may be placed on top of the bars M M andsecured thereto.

N is a toothed bar arranged about midway between the suspension -bars Gand bolted at its ends to the bars M M, with its teeth a n substantiallyin vertical planes, for a purpose to be explained. There may be acorresponding toothed bar arranged between the two upper bars, F F, andparalleltherewith.

O O are'anti-friction wheels formed in pairs upon axles P P and integraltherewith. These wheels run on the tracks F F and bars G.

Q is a pin-gear, also cast integrally with shaft P, with its teeth qengaging with the toothed bar Nn.

From an examination of the drawings and the foregoing description itwill be understood that by turning the suspension-rods I inthe properdirection the bearing of the valve. upon the valve-seat can be soregulated as to materially relieve the friction between those partswithout producing any leakage of steam, and this adjustment can beeffected without opening the steam-chest by applying a wrench t0 theupper squared ends of the suspension-rods I. This capability ofadjusting the pressure of the valve upon the valve-seat becomes veryimportant in view of the unequal or irregular expansion of the steamchest as it becomes heated and of other irregularities which make itvery difficult to properly adjust the relative positions of the groovedplates and the antifriction wheels prior to putting on the cap of thesteam-chest.

The presence of the pin gear-wheel and the engaging rack-teeth is asafeguard against the accidental displacement of the anti-frictionwheel.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modification in which the vertical adjustmentof the suspension-bars G is effected by pointed set-screws S S, whichare mounted in the side walls, R B,

of the steam-chest in such position that the points of the screws bearagainst the under sides or surfaces of the suspension-bars, which lattermay be forced away from the valve-seat by screwing the set-screwsinward.

T T t t are diagonal braces, each expanded at both ends into eyes,loops, hooks, or ears adapted to engage with the suspension-rods I I.These braces are secured to each other at the crossing-points and serveto maintain the suspension-bars in parallel planes, thereby insuring auniformity of movement between the valve and the track-bars F.

By preference I can construct the side walls with bosses orre-enforcements r r at the points where the set-screws pass through; butin many cases these may be omitted, because the ordinary walls of thesteam-chest will provide a sufficient] y strong support. Of coursestuffingboXes similar to those shown at K may be used to guard againstleakage around these setscrews.

By preference I make the bars G G to fit closely at their ends the endwalls of the steamchest, and the bars M M fit closely at their ends theside walls of the steam-chest, and thus prevent lateral movement ofthese parts,while they are free to rise and fall as the rods I Iareturned in one direction or the other.

While I have shown myinventiou as applied to a horizontally-moving valvewithin a steam-chest arranged upon the upper side of the cylinder, I donot wish to be limited to such arrangement of parts,because itis adaptedfor use upon valves which are located on the sides of the cylinders witheither a horizontal or vertical movement.

Although I have shown but two constructions for the carrying out of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited thereby, because manymodifications will naturally suggest themselves to a skilled mechanicwithout in any manner departing from that part of my invention whichrelates to mounting the adjusting devices in the walls ofthe cap of thesteam-chest with portions of the adjusting devices projecting outsidethereof, so that they can be operated without removing the cap or topplate.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, with the sliding valve and thesteam-chest, of the rods'D, secured to the valve, the upper guide-bars,E, carried by said rods D, the anti-friction wheels 0, the lowertrack-bars, G, and the supporting-rods I, rigidly secured to the wall ofthe steamchest, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the valve and the Steamchest, of the rods D,the upper guidebars, F, the grooved anti-friction wheels 0, the lowersuspension-bars, G, the toothed wheel Q, supplemental to the wheels 0,and the rack N, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination,with the steam-chest, of

the anti-friction rollers, the valve suspended upon the said rollers,the rollers being arranged in two or more pairs, and the rollers of eachpair being connected rigidly together, and the toothed rack and wheelintermediate of the rollers, substantially as and for the purposes setforth. I

4. The combination, with the steam-chest and the valve, of theanti-friction rollersupon which the valve is suspended, said rollers being arranged in two or more pairs, and the rollers of each pair beingformed integral with the shaft, and the intermediate guide-wheel,Q,substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the steam-chest and the valve, of thesuspension-bars G, rigidly seeured to the steam-chest, the anti-frictionrollers 0, arranged in pairs, each pair having a transverse shaft, P,which unites together the rollers, and the supporting devices which holdthe valve and rest upon the said anti-friction rollers, as described.

6. The combination, with the steam-chest and the valve, of thesuspension-bars G, the anti-friction rollers resting upon the said bars,the guide-bars F, resting upon said rollers, and means, substantially asdescribed, for detachably connecting the said guide-bars to the valve,as set forth.

7. In the balance mechanism for valves, the herein described antifriction rollers and guide-wheel Q, intermediate of the rollers, castintegrally together, and the reduced shaft P between the guide-wheels,substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with the steam-chest and the valve, of theanti-friction rollers OO,

arranged impairs, the shaft joining the rollers of each pair, supportingmeans for the suspension-bars, the rack-bar N, intermediate of therollers O and carried by said supporting means, and the toothed wheelengaging with said bar, as described.

9. The combination, with the steam-chest and the valve, of theanti-friction rollers, the rack having laterally-projecting teeth, andthe guide-wheel having corresponding laterallyprojecting teeth,substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with the steam-chest and the valve, of theanti-friction rollers O O, in pairs, one of each pair on one side of thechest and the other upon the other, the susr 5 pension -bars G, thetransverse connectingbars M, forming arectangnlar frame, the bars G, thebars F, and the crossbars E, forming, with the bars F, an upperrectangular frame, and the devices which suspend the valve from 20 thesaid frame E F, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. ELWARD.

Witnesses:

J. C. TURNER, H. H. BLIss.

